Fear is the virtue of slaves; but the heart that loveth is willing; Perfect was before God, and perfect is Love, and Love only. Lovest thou God as thou oughtest, then lovest thou likewise thy

brethren ;

One is the sun in heaven,

and one, only one, is Love also. Bears not each human figure the godlike stamp on his forehead? Readest thou not in his face thine origin? Is he not sailing

Lost like thyself on an ocean unknown? and is he not guided

By the same stars that guide thee? Why shouldst thou hate then thy brother?

Hateth he thee, forgive! For 't is sweet to stammer one letter Of the Eternal's language; - on earth it is called Forgiveness ! Knowest thou Him, who forgave with the crown of thorns on his temples?

Earnestly prayed for his foes, for his murderers? Say, dost thou know him?

Ah! thou confessest his name, so follow likewise his example; Think of thy brother no ill, but throw a veil over his failings; Guide the erring aright; for the good, the heavenly, shepherd Took the lost lamb in his arms, and bore it back to its mother. This is the fruit of Love, and it is by its fruits that we know it. Love is the creature's welfare, with God; but Love among mortals Is but an endless sigh! He longs, and endures, and stands waiting;

Suffers and yet rejoices, and smiles with tears on his eyelids. Hope, so is called upon earth, his recompense,— Hope, the befriending,

Does what she can; for she points evermore up to heaven, and faithful

Plunges her anchor's peak in the depths of the grave, and beneath it

Paints a more beautiful world,—a dim, but a sweet play of

shadows!

Races, better than we, have leaned on her wavering promise,

Having naught else but Hope. Then praise we our Father in

heaven,

Him, who has given us more; for to us has Hope been transfigured, Groping no longer in night; she is Faith, she is living assurance.

Faith is enlightened Hope; she is light, is the eye of affection, Dreams of the longing interprets, and carves their visions in

marble.

Faith is the sun of life; and her countenance shines like the

Hebrew's,

For she has looked upon God; the heaven on its stable foundation Draws she with chains down to earth, and the New Jerusalem

sinketh

Splendid with portals twelve in golden vapors descending.

CHAPTER TWO.

EDUCATION, MORALS, AND RELIGION.

EXTRACTS FROM REMARKS ON EDUCATION.

WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING.

It seems, however, that the community are more disposed to talk of education in general than to enter patiently and minutely into its principles and methods,

more disposed to laud it than to labor for it; and on this account we feel ourselves bound to say something, however briefly and rapidly, of the obligation of regarding it as the paramount object of society, and of giving encouragement to those who make it their task, or who devote themselves to its promotion. We know that we are repeating a thrice-told tale, are inviting attention to principles which the multitude most courteously acknowledge, and as readily forget. But all great truths are apt to grow trite; and if the moral teacher should fail to enforce them, because they are worn by repetition, religious and moral teaching would well nigh cease.

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We are aware that there are some who take an attitude of defense when pressed with earnest applications on the subject of education. They think its importance overrated. They say that circumstances chiefly determine the young mind; that the influence of parents

and teachers is very narrow; and that they sometimes dwarf and distort instead of improving the child, by taking the work out of the hand of nature. These remarks are not wholly unfounded. The power of parents is often exaggerated. To strengthen their sense of responsibility, they are often taught that they are competent to effects which are not within their reach, and are often discouraged by the greatness of the task to which they are summoned. Nothing is gained by exaggeration. It is true, and the truth need not be disguised, that parents cannot operate at pleasure on the minds and characters of the young. Their influence is limited by their own ignorance and imperfection, by the strength and freedom of the will of the child, and by its connection, from its breath, with other objects and beings. Parents are not the only educators of their offspring, but must divide the work with other and numerous agents. And in this we rejoice; for, were the young confined to domestic influences, each generation would be a copy of the preceding, and the progress of society would cease. The child is not put into the hands of parents alone. It is not born to hear but a few voices. It is brought at birth into a vast, we may say an infinite, school. The universe is charged with the office of its education. Innumerable voices come to it from all that it meets, sees, feels. It is not confined to a few books anxiously selected for it by parental care. Nature, society, experience, are volumes opened everywhere and perpetually before its eyes. It takes lessons from every object within the sphere of its senses and its activity,—from the sun and stars; from the flowers of spring and the fruits of autumn; from every

associate; from every smiling and frowning countenance; from the pursuits, trades, professions, of the community in which it moves; from its plays, friendships, and dislikes; from the varieties of human character; and from the consequences of its actions. All these, and more than these, are appointed to teach, awaken, develop, the mind of the child. It is plunged amidst friendly and hostile influences, to grow by cooperating with the first, and by resisting the last. The circumstances in which we are placed, form, indeed, a most important school, and by their help some men have risen to distinction in knowledge and virtue, with little aid from parents, teachers, and books.

nature.

Still, the influence of parents and teachers is great. On them it very much depends whether the circumstances which surround the child shall operate to his good. They must help him to read, interpret, and use wisely the great volumes of nature, society, and experience. They must fix his volatile glance, arrest his precipitate judgment, guide his observation, teach him to link together cause and effect in the outward world, and turn his thoughts inward on his own more mysterious The young, left to the education of circumstances, left without teaching, guidance, restraint,will, in all probability, grow up ignorant, torpid in intellect, strangers to their own powers, and slaves to their passions. The fact that some children, without aid from parents or schools, have struggled into eminence, no more proves such aid to be useless than the fact that some have grown strong under physical exposures which would destroy the majority of the race, would prove the worthlessness of the ordinary precautions which are taken for the security of health.